The present invention relates generally to a weightlifting device, and more particularly, is directed to a refillable dumbbell and a bottle holding device for forming a refillable dumbbell in conjunction with a bottle.
The use of conventional bottles for performing exercises is known. For example, in the March/April, 1994 issue of FITNESS magazine, an all-over body workout is disclosed and shown using water bottles as dumbbells. Generally, such bottles can be filled to provide weights ranging from approximately zero to eight pounds. Thus, such bottles are ideal, for example, to convalescing adults who need to start off with minimal amounts of weight for their therapy and which are convenient to use around the home.
However, a problem with using water bottles is that the water bottles have very narrow handles. As a result, the bottles by themselves are difficult to maneuver and grip in the various exercises. Still further, because of the narrowness of the handles, there will be a tendency for the handles to bend or break during exercises, particularly during dumbbell exercises which may provide large forces thereon.
Various devices for holding bottles are well known. Generally, these bottle holding devices are adapted to aid a person in pouring a liquid from a bottle held thereby. Accordingly, these bottle holding devices are constructed to hold a bottle in such a manner as to permit tilting of the bottle along the longitudinal axis thereof.
However, such bottle holding devices cannot practically be used to hold a bottle for use as a dumbbell. This is because, when used as a dumbbell, the forces applied to the bottle holding device from the weight of the bottle will vary at many different angles, rather than only along a tilting action extending along the longitudinal axis of the bottle.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,666,197 discloses a bottle holding device having an upper gripping member with a hole thereof extending around the upper narrow neck of the bottle and below the annular flange thereat. A lower annular band slides along the bottle until it is situated near the lower end thereof where the bottle is much wider than the narrow neck. A handle connects the upper gripping member with the lower annular band.
However, because there is some play of the upper gripping member on the upper narrow neck of the bottle and there is some play of the lower annular band at the lower end of the bottle, and due to the sliding nature of both elements, any use of this bottle holding device as a dumbbell would result in the bottle continuously sliding back and forth by small amounts. In the extreme case, where the bottle is completely filled, the weight of the bottle may result in separation of the bottle from the bottle holding device. Further, because of the elongated opening in the upper gripping member, any use as a dumbbell would cause the bottle to move back and forth in such elongated opening. As a result, the bottle holding device of U.S. Pat. No. 4,666,197 is unusable, from a practical standpoint, as a dumbbell. In any event, U.S. Pat. No. 4,666,197 does not disclose or suggest in any manner that the same can be used as a dumbbell.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,578 discloses a similar arrangement, and suffers from the same deficiencies. Although this Patent discloses a locking region for the neck of the bottle, formed by projections in the elongated opening of the upper gripping member, there would still be a tendency for the neck of the bottle to escape such projections during a dumbbell exercise, in view of the filled weight of the bottle, the various angles that the bottle is turned, and the large forces applied during a dumbbell exercise. Further, there would still be longitudinal sliding of the bottle in the bottle holding device by a small amount, which would render the same unusable as a dumbbell.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,940 discloses a similar arrangement, and suffers from the same deficiencies. With this patent, a thin, lower annular band seats the bottom of the bottle. However, this is even more disadvantageous for use as a dumbbell because there is a greater tendency for the bottom of the bottle to escape the lower annular band completely when performing dumbbell exercises. See also U.S. Pat. No. Des. 292,160.
The problems with the above-mentioned bottle holding devices stem from the construction of the same as integral devices that must be deformed or slipped over the bottle. As a result, the above bottle holding devices cannot be tightened securely about the bottle.
Various other types of bottle holding devices are known for use in pouring the contents from a bottle. For example, bottle holding devices are known which only grip the neck of the bottle. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,773,549; 4,865,208; 4,901,874; and 4,932,544. Other bottle holding devices, on the other hand, are known which only grip the base or lower end of the bottle. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,964. Although insulated bottle holders are known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,254, there is no handle provided for use of the same as a dumbbell.